Human Rights

Deka Dirie: From accidental environmentalist to driven activist

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) As a busy mother bringing up four children between the ages of 10 and 20, Deka Mohamud Dirie would seemingly not have too much time to engage in environmental activism. Some people even told her that a woman would be incapable of doing both.

Somalia responds swiftly to measles outbreak in Jubaland State

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) - The health system of any country needs a surveillance system that can collect information on and detect alerts of epidemic-prone diseases.

CAJ Welcomes Release of Editor and Calls for Safety of Journalists in Somalia

The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) has welcomed the release of Radio Hiigsi Editor Mohamed Abduwahab Nuur(Abuuja) from five-month detention by Somali National Intelligence (NIS) officers since March 7, 2020.

Journalists fleeing from threats and abuses from state ahead of Somalia elections

ISTANBUL, Turkey (HORN OBSERVER) - Journalists in Somalia have said they are fleeing their country due to increased violence and threats from the state security forces ahead of the country's disputed general elections.

CAJ Calls on African Governments to End Attacks on Journalists in the Covid-19 Pandemic Period

NAIROBI (HORN OBSERVER) The Congress of African Journalists (CAJ) held a maiden conference on "Covid-19 Impacts on Journalists and the Media: Building up To Face Challenges of Covid-19 and Aftermath" on 29 and 30 July 2020.

Radio Hiigsi Editor Mohamed Abuuja is freed after nearly five months in arbitrary detention

MOGADISHU, Somalia/ Washington D.C, USA, 05 August, 2020 – After long struggle for justice, Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS), Somali Media Association (SOMA) and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights welcome today's verdict by the Somali Military Court's to release Radio Hiigsi editor, Mohamed…

SJS and SOMA jointly call for protection of Somalia's press freedom

MOGADISHU, Somalia 30 July, 2020 – Following weeks of legal battle in the Banadir Regional Court, Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) on Thursday joined by Goobjoog Media Group's Director in expressing concern over the deteriorating situation of the press freedom…

Despite admitting deaths of Somali civilians, AFRICOM yet to compensate families, says Amnesty International

NAIROBI (HORN OBSERVER) - The U.S. Africa Command, on Tuesday issued a quarterly civilian casualty assessment report that assessed that the U.S military killed Somali civilians during their 13 years of air strike in Somalia.

Joint petition to the UN Working Group on Arbitrary Detention for Detained journalist Mohamed Abdiwahab Nuur

Mogadishu, Somalia and Washington, DC– On July 27, 2020, the Somali Journalists Syndicate, the Somali Media Association, lawyer Daahir Ali and Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights jointly submitted a petition to the United Nations Working Group on Arbitrary Detention on behalf of detained journalist, Mohamed…

Killer at large as family of Somali camera journalist killed by a police officer lingers for justice

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) On the afternoon of July 26, 2018 Abdirizak Qasim Iman, a 19-years-old Somali video and photojournalist with the privately owned SBS TV, was returning from a normal assignment at the SIMAD University in the Somali capital, Mogadishu, after covering the graduation event there,…

Amnesty: Somalia must place a moratorium on forced evictions in IDP settlements

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Incessant fighting, recurrent droughts and floods, and the worst locust invasion in more than 25 years are forcing more people to flee their homes in Somalia, leading to severe overcrowding and an intensifying risk of COVID-19 among internally displaced people (IDP), Amnesty…

Banadir Regional Authorities force local TV to fire a journalist who reported IDP eviction

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) A local TV reporter in Mogadishu has been fired from his job after reporting evictions of dozens of families in Mogadishu's Kaaraan district last week, the journalist and colleagues said.

Sool and Sanaag elders send an open letter to Djibouti president over Somalia-Somaliland talks

GAROWE (HORN OBSERVER) About 12 Somali traditional elders from the disputed regions of Sool and Sanaag have issued an open letter to the Djibouti president, Ismaïl Omar Guelleh over the renewed talks between Somalia and Somaliland.

Ex-Somalia spy chief calls regional states to be vigilant of Farmajo's term extension plan

MOGADISHU (HORN OBSERVER) Former Director of the Somali National Intelligence and Security Agency (NISA), Abdullahi Mohamed Ali Sanbaloshe has called for the leaders of the Federal Member States to stick to their decision on the importance of holding a timely election in Somalia.

SJS & SOMA concerned about continued persecution against Goobjoog Journalist

MOGADISHU, Somalia 14 July 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) are concerned about the continued prosecution against Goobjoog journalist, Abdiaziz Ahmed Gurbiye as the second day of hearing his case took place on Tuesday 14 July, 2020.

Hopes dashed for families of murdered Somali journalists

MOGADISHU (Horn Observer) - "We are suffering until today. No justice. Nobody investigated the murder of Hassan. We are hopeless. We need support. Following the murder of my husband I cannot sustain my children," says Habiba Adan Ahmed, 35-year-old wife of slain Somali journalist, Hassan Osman…

Mogadishu court adjourns case against Goobjoog journalist Gurbiye, SJS and SOMA call for the AG to drop charges

MOGADISHU, Somalia 7 July, 2020 – Somali Media Association (SOMA) and Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) jointly call for the Office of the Attorney General (AG) of the Federal Government of Somalia to drop charges against Goobjoog Editor, Abdiaziz Ahmed Gurbiye who appeared today before the Banadir…

HRW: Baseless Charges Against Prominent Somali Journalist

On July 7, Abdiaziz Ahmed Gurbiye, the chief editor and deputy director of the independent Goobjoog Media Group, is expected to appear in court in Somalia's capital, Mogadishu.

Joint Press Release: Amid increased violence on independent press, SJS and SOMA call for Press Freedom protection

MOGADISHU, Somalia 05 July, 2020 – Somali Journalists Syndicate (SJS) and Somali Media Association (SOMA) jointly call for the protection of the safety of the journalists and freedom of the press amid an increased violence by state actors against independent media and journalists in Somalia and Somaliland

Amnesty International: Somali authorities must immediately release journalist Mohamed Abdiwahab Nur (Abuja)

Amnesty International is concerned about the continued detention of journalist Mohamed Abdiwahab Nur (Abuja) and the organization is calling on Somalia authorities to immediately and unconditionally release him. Amnesty International is also worried that the journalist who was arbitrarily arrested and…